Method of Drying Botanicals

ABSTRACT

A method for drying to increase the useful life of botanicals and shorten the time to market after harvest of the botanicals. The method may include flash freezing the botanicals, at a desired optimal temperature range, soon after harvest. The method may include storing the frozen botanicals indefinitely prior to drying. The method may include drying the frozen botanicals using a lyophilizer at a desired optimal temperature and pressure.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and incorporates by reference as if fully set forth herein U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/686,424 titled “Method of Drying Botanicals” and filed on Jun. 18, 2018.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to processing botanical items. In particular, methods of drying the botanical items are described.

Conventional techniques for drying botanicals involve slowly drying the harvested botanicals by hanging them in a cool, dry room for several weeks. This process leads to quicker degradation of the appearance and compounds in the botanical. Once the botanical is dry, trimming it is difficult. Where the botanical is cannabis, the leaves are generally considered useless and are discarded.

Thus, there exists a need for drying that improves upon and advance the design of known method for processing botanicals, which also includes hemp and cannabis. Examples of new and useful drying methods relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.

SUMMARY

The methods discussed below dramatically improve the overall appearance, quality, and shelf life of dried botanicals, while decreasing the drying time. According to one aspect of the invention, the improved dried botanical is produced by flash freezing a harvested botanical until the moisture content is solidified. The frozen botanical is dried by sublimating the solidified moisture content to a gas, while continuously removing the gas from the botanical. The resulting dried botanical generally maintains it original volumetric dimensions and maintains its usability for an extended period of time. The botanical can then be placed in a sealed container for future use. The removed gas can be converted to liquid form comprising of water and terpene oil, wherein the lighter terpene oil is separated from the heavier water and collected.

According to another aspect of the invention, the dried botanical may have its oil extracted therefrom. The extracted oil can be stored in capsules or converted into pill form.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the dried botanical may be trimmed to form particles, and the trimmed particles can be packed into cylindrical containers for future use. Additionally, the dried botanical can be converted into a powder and packed into cylindrical containers.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, leaves from a botanical are flash frozen and are dried by sublimating solidified moisture from the frozen leaves. The leaves are mulched either prior to being flash frozen or after being dried, and the resulting mulched leaves may be packed into cylindrical containers for future use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart summarizing a method of drying botanicals, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart summarizing a method of optimizing flash freezing process in drying botanicals, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart summarizing a method of optimizing sublimation processing in drying botanicals, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart summarizing a method of processing leaves of a botanical, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed methods will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.

Throughout the following detailed description, a variety of methods are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.

With reference to FIG. 1 one method 100 of drying botanicals, will now be described. Within hours of harvesting 102 the botanical, it is placed in a freezer, ideally within one hour. For cannabis or hemp processing, it is desirable to remove the flower from the plant 104 and place only the flower in the freezer. In other embodiments, the whole plant may be directly placed in the freezer. Alternatively, the flowers can be removed from the whole plants at later steps of method 100. For the step of flash freezing 106, the freezer should be as cold as possible, with the current range being between −10 degrees Fahrenheit and at least −60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower temperature insures the botanical freezes as quickly as possible for best preservation. The botanical can then be stored 108 in this frozen state indefinitely until the botanical is needed. After removal from frozen storage, the frozen botanical is dried 110. This process includes placing the botanical in a drying machine, such as a lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. Once the botanicals are placed in the vacuum chamber, the drying machine will lower the air pressure in the chamber and cycle the temperature. This process will allow the botanical to reach the triple point, where the frozen water molecules in the botanical will be sublimated or vaporized and turned into a gas. The machine removes the gas from the vacuum chamber using the vacuum pump, wherein the removed gas is converted to liquid form comprising of water and terpene oil which is lighter in weight, and the terpene oil is then collected using standard oil water separating procedures. The botanical is then removed, being dry and fully intact and placed in final storage 112, ideally in an airtight container. Optionally, the resulting botanical may be further processed 112, such as having its oil extracted therefrom or it is trimmed such that the trimmed particles may be packed into a cylindrical container for further use. This oil is extracted from the botanical by immersing the botanical in a solvent, such as food grade ethanol which is good to use for cannabis botanicals. The solvent is then distilled or boiled off, leaving behind the extracted oil. The extracted oil can be stored in capsule form or converted into pill form by adding a pill powder mix such as corn starch to the extracted oil and subjecting the resulting mixture to a standard pill pressing machine. Additionally, the dried botanical can be converted to small particles or powder form and packed into cylindrical containers for future use.

Turning attention to FIG. 2, a second example of drying botanicals will now be described. Method 200 includes many similar or identical features to method 100. Within hours of harvesting 202 the botanical, it is placed in a freezer, ideally within one hour. For the step of flash freezing 204, the freezer should be at within the optimal temperature range of −45f to −55f. The lower temperature insures the botanical freezes as quickly as possible for best preservation. After removal, the flash frozen botanical is dried 206. This process includes placing the botanical in a drying machine, such as a lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. Once the botanicals are placed in the vacuum chamber, the drying machine will lower the air pressure in the chamber and cycle the temperature. This process will allow the botanical to reach the triple point, where the frozen water molecules in the botanical will be sublimated or vaporized and turned into a gas. The machine removes the gas from the vacuum chamber using the vacuum pump. The botanical is then removed, being dry and fully intact and can be stored 208, ideally in an airtight container.

FIG. 3 illustrates a third example of drying botanicals. Method 300 includes many similar or identical features to method 100. Within hours of harvesting 302 the botanical, it is placed in a freezer, ideally within one hour. For the step of flash freezing 304, the freezer should be as cold as possible, with the current range being between −10 degrees Fahrenheit and at least −60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower temperature insures the botanical freezes as quickly as possible for best preservation. After flash freezing, the frozen botanical is dried 306. This process includes placing the botanical in a drying machine, such as a lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. Once the botanicals are placed in the vacuum chamber, the drying machine will lower the air pressure in the chamber to an optimal pressure, between 300 and 600 torr for example. Other pressures are also possible. Also during this step 306, the machine will cycle the temperature, ideally between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This process will allow the botanical to reach the triple point, where the frozen water molecules in the botanical will be sublimated or vaporized and turned into a gas. The machine removes the gas from the vacuum chamber using the vacuum pump. The botanical is then removed, being dry and fully intact and can be stored 308, ideally in an airtight container.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of processing the leaves of a botanical. Method 400 includes many similar or identical features to method 100. Within hours of harvesting 402 the botanical, the leaves are separated from the botanical and then mulched. Alternatively, the leaves can be mulched at later steps in 400. The mulch is placed in a freezer, ideally within one hour from harvesting. For the step of flash freezing 404, the freezer should be as cold as possible, with the current range being between −10 degrees Fahrenheit and at least −60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower temperature insures the botanical freezes as quickly as possible for best preservation. After flash freezing, the frozen mulch is dried 406. This process includes placing the mulch in a drying machine, such as a lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. Once the mulch is placed in the vacuum chamber, the drying machine will lower the air pressure in the chamber and cycle the temperature. This process will allow the mulch to reach the triple point, where the frozen water molecules in the mulch will be sublimated or vaporized and turned into a gas. The machine removes the gas from the vacuum chamber using the vacuum pump. The mulch is removed, being dry and fully intact. As indicated previously, the mulch can be first formed 408 after the leaves are flash frozen and dried (i.e. made substantially moisture free). The resulting dried mulched leaves can be stored 410, by packing the dried mulched leaves into a container, which may be cylindrically shaped, for further use.

The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein. 

1. A method comprising: flash freezing a botanical to solidify moisture content within the botanical, wherein the botanical contains an initial volumetric dimension; and sublimating substantially all of the solidified moisture content from the botanical to form a sublimated moisture content.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sublimated moisture content is separated from the botanical, and a final volumetric dimension of the botanical is substantially the same as the initial volumetric dimension.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising placing the botanical within a chamber of a lyophilizer.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sublimated moisture content is separated from the botanical by vacuuming the sublimated moisture content from the chamber to leave the botanical in a substantially dried state.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical is placed in an airtight sealed container for preservation for further use.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical is trimmed to form a residue of particles, and the trimmed particles are then packed into cylindrical containers for future use.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical is converted into powdered form and is packed into at least one cylindrical container for future use.
 8. The method of claim 4, wherein oil is extracted from the dried botanical, and the extracted oil is stored in capsule form.
 9. The method of claim 4, wherein oil is extracted from the dried botanical, and the extracted oil is converted into pill form.
 10. A method comprising: harvesting a botanical; separating leaves from the botanical; flash freezing the leaves to solidify moisture content contained therein; sublimating the solidified moisture content from flash frozen leaves forming substantially moisture free flash frozen leaves; forming a mulch from the moisture free flash frozen leaves; and packing the mulch into at least one container.
 11. A method comprising: harvesting a botanical; separating leaves from the botanical; forming a mulch from the leaves; flash freezing the formed mulch to solidify moisture content contained therein; sublimating the solidified moisture from the flash frozen mulch to form substantially moisture free flash frozen mulch; and packing the moisture free flash frozen mulch into at least one container.
 12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from said water, and collecting said separated terpene oil.
 13. A method comprising: freezing a botanical to solidify the moisture content within the botanical; sublimating substantially all of the solidified moisture content from the botanical to form a substantially dried botanical; extracting oil from said substantially dried botanical; and converting the extracted oil into pill form.
 14. (canceled)
 15. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of: converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from said water, and collecting said separated terpene oil.
 16. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from said water, and collecting said separated terpene oil. 